Reading the comments on this site becomes increasingly depressing, day by day.

The majority of posts are from a host of troll accounts, regurgitating the same drivel ad infinitum, no matter how well or how often it's debunked, which kills any sensible debate, which I'm sure is their objective.

I didn't suggest that they wanted to learn anything - I said "singer" not "musician". They think they can stand up on a TV show, sing like they do in the shower... and it will all be at their feet. Just like that. Live happily ever after.

I'll reserve judgement until I see what happens next year.

When Farage highlighted the Channel problem, Patel's reasons given were that EU law prevented us doing as we wish. So when the transition is over, let's see what they do then.

He'll have to answer to his father in law if it doesn't.

Getting rid of Employer's NI makes IR35 largely irrelevant. That would be my preferred option.

Weak waffle.

The government stood between the people and self-sufficiency, which is what conservatives really believe in.

"We still have too many people leaving school or full time education with either no particular skills, or a very low level of skill, and people that have gone on to higher education or further education of some type but not picked a skill that is going to help them get a job."

Correct. And yet they emerge thinking that they are somehow equal to everyone else, in all respects, and should have everything they want.

The idea that we just accept that and fix it in adult life is ducking responsibility. We cannot simply waste 11 years of taxpayers' money, then spend some more and hope that it all works out in the end.

We must identify and address the root causes of the wasted years. Many kids come from families who attach no importance to education and that has to change. Not only do they have no qualifications themselves, but they disrupt the learning of others.

Suppose we were to create a school system that were effectively an apprenticeship for many - effectively starting this "skills system" earlier rather than waste money. Would we see an improvement? I suspect not. I think we'd still see kids wasting their younger years dreaming of being footballers and singers - and they would still be in the "school not cool" gang.

Meanwhile, we'd have all the usual whiny politicians and woke brigade bleating about how they were being streamed too young and deprived of opportunity. Deprived... of what they'd end up doing 11 years later - if they were lucky - under Javid's proposal.

And perhaps more importantly... why do we think it will change when they're older? Problem children become problem adults.

Unless we are prepared to take on the fight against bad parenting, this war will never be won.

A key question: do a parent's rights include the right to instil values in their children which limit their opportunities.

My answer would be "no" - and I suspect I'd be in a very small minority, which is why I think this battle cannot be won with current attitudes. If the State has a responsibility in a child's education (and 11 years of taxpayers' money is a fairly large slice of responsibility) then it must also have a proportionate say in that education and the ability to sanction poor parenting.

Then perhaps in future you might consider learning something before you start posting.

Even at this point, when I made you (very) dimly aware that there was something more to know, was it really so hard for you to Google something like "testing during incubation period"?

I'm drawing conclusions from the evidence, you are inventing a conspiracy theory out of thin air - and a very poor one at that. There is no obvious upside to any such "plan".

You've proved once again that you really don't understand any of this.

Interesting claim - reading from a script. So he must have known that Bob Neill's question was coming then? And he had ample time to consider the effect those words would have - given his experience - and to query the words, even check with Keen, the AG, the PM.

I'm not sure that claim stands up to scrutiny. It leads to a conclusion that he's either being disingenuous or that he's not up to the job. Or both.

It looks like a remainer establishment stitch-up, but if he allowed himself to become part of it (and he is a remainer after all, so he may not have exactly put up a fight)... come re-shuffle time... goodbye Brandon.